SCRUTINY

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

19th October 2009

Immediate release

 

 

Environment Scrutiny Panel Hearing on Waste Recycling 

 

Thursday 22nd October 2009

2.30 pm Blampied Room

 

The Environment Scrutiny Panel is holding a public hearing with the Minister for Transport and Technical Services in order to scrutinise the department’s plans to improve the recycling system.

 

Over the past few years the Department has steadily raised the recycling rate and is set to achieve its target of 32% in 2009. Until now the focus has been on low cost, high tonnage material streams which the public expect to be recycled, such as paper and card and green waste.

 

Now however there are increasing pressures to remove hazardous material from the waste stream in order to reduce the toxicity of emissions from the current incinerator and enable the bottom ash to be used for construction materials when the new Energy from Waste plant is completed. Waste electrical and electronic equipment, fridges and end of life vehicles all need to be recycled in ways that conform to modern standards.

 

This cannot be achieved without additional resources. In 2009 the department was granted one-off funding of £500,000 to deal with the shortfall in funding but the continuation of this funding stream depends on the introduction of environmental taxes.

 

The Panel wishes to examine closely the department’s spending plans including

 

 

The Minister has indicated that without the necessary additional funding some recycling streams may have to be curtailed. The Panel believes that, in these difficult financial circumstances, recycling priorities need to be carefully reappraised.

 

 

Ends

 

 

Notes

The Solid Waste Strategy was approved by the States in 2005. A recycling target of 29% was set for 2009 but this has now been revised upwards to 32%.

 

It was clearly indicated in the Strategy that additional funding would be required to fund the increased levels of recycling required under the strategy

 

The Minister for Treasury and Resources is expected to propose an environmental tax package in the Budget in December. In a public consultation on the principle of this new tax carried out earlier this year it was suggested that these taxes might consist of a vehicle emission duty (VED), an increase in fuel duty or a combination of both.

 

 

PLEASE NOTE: This hearing will be deferred if the States Business continues into Thursday afternoon

 

For further information, please contact:

Mike Haden, Scrutiny Officer Tel 441076 or email m.haden@gov.je                        

 

Media Interviews

Deputy Phil Rondel, Chairman, Tel 07797729235 or email p.rondel@gov.je           

 

Notes to editors:

Panel Membership -

Deputy P Rondel (Chairman)

Connétable J Réfault

Deputy D. Wimberley

Deputy P. Le Claire